Water agencies that are considering participating in the multi-district per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) litigation against chemical giants like DuPont, Chemours, Corteva, and 3M should mark their calendars with the upcoming deadlines related to this case. All these parties are alleged to have manufactured various PFAS chemicals.
Public and private water agencies, sewage treatment plants, and other qualifying entities who were served or consumed water contaminated with PFAS, have the opportunity to become part of a multi-billion dollar settlement agreement. Specifically, the settlements with DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva, collectively referred to as DuPont, currently amount to $1.185 billion, while those with 3M range from $10.5 billion to a whopping $12.5 billion.
The widespread use and environmental persistence of PFAS chemicals have led to increasingly focused regulatory scrutiny, associating these types of chemical substances with harmful health effects. Therefore, this pending settlement serves not only as a financial recompense for agencies, but also as an important reminder of the role large corporations play in environmental safety and public health.
Details about the exact breakdown of the settlement amount and deadline schedules are essential to these agencies. It’s important to note however that not all affected parties may be aware of the litigation or their eligibility to participate in the settlement. Thus, timely dissemination of this information is crucial to ensure that no qualifying entity is left unrecompensed.
For full details on the context, deadline and extent of eligibility, please refer to this JD Supra article authored by Nossaman LLP.